Coin freed dispenser



April 5, V1965 cs. PERRELLA E'rAl. 3,176,817

COIN FREED DISPENSER Filed nec. 5, :ses 5 sheets-sneer. 1

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rrglueyg April 5, 1965 G. PERRELLA ETAL 3,176,817

GOIN FREED DISPENSER Filed Dec. 5, 196s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

April 6, 1965 G. PFRRELLAv ErAL 3,176,817

COIN FREED DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 5, 1963 INVENTORS GUIDO PERRELLA FRANK PICKER April 6 1965 G. PERRELLA ETAL 3,176,817

COIN FREED DISPENSER Filed Dec. 5, 196s s sheets-snm, 4

April 6,1965

G. PERRELLA ETAL G01N FBEED DISPENSER Filed Dec. 5, 1963 FiG. 6

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United States Patent() l s claims. (ici. rari-es) This invention relates to vending and dispensing apparatus and, in particular, to a coin operated apparatus for dispensing shopping bags having suspension means such as carrying handles of cord or wire or for dispensing other articles, such as, for example, coat hangers provided with suspens-ion means. 4

Dispensers for large, rather bulky items such as shopping bags are well known in the art but for a number of reasons these have not been too successful.

For example, one type of such a dispensing device has been constructed in the form of a large cabinet completely enclosing the articles to be Sold. This type of cabinet has been too heavy to move or place in stores or other places of business and, moreover, it has taken up a substantial amount of lloor area. Furthermore, such a type of cabinet dispenser has proved diiiicult to load with merohandise besides being relatively expensive to manufacture and maintain in working order. The economical aspect is quite a deciding factor in the purchase of such dispensers by retailers in relation to the price of the shopping bags.

Furthermore, the type of dispenser described above has incorporated fairly complicated article delivering mechanism as well as mechanism preventing the theft of the bags. In a shopping bag dispenser, such complicated mechanisms are rather unnecessary in relation to the value of the shopping bags.

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcome the above disadvantages by providing a dispenser for articles such as, for example, bags and which is relatively simple in construction and, therefore, inexpensive to manufacture.

According to its broadest aspect, the present invention relates to a coin freed dispenser for articles provided with a suspension loop, comprising a body having a loop storage channel therein and a coin receiving magazine; a member rotatably mounted with respect to said body, said member having a coin receiving slot and a loop receiving recess; a spring normally biasing said member to rotate in a iirst direction; a regulator mounted on said body for controlling said rotatable member, said regulator comprising first means to limit rotation of said member in said first direction; second means engageable with said slot to prevent illicit rotation ofv said member in a second direction, said second means being rendered inoperative by the introduction of a coin into said slot thereby to free thesaid member for rotation in the second direction; and third means adapted, upon rotation of said member in the second direction, to eject said coin from the slot into the magazine; said loop being engageable with said recess for manual rotation of said member in the second direction to a delivery position whereby said loop and its associated article can be removed from said dispenser.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the dispensing apparatus secured to a Wall;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional end elevation of the dispenser taken along the line 2--2 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional end elevation taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the dispenser;

d, l '875,3 l 'i Patented Apr. 6, i965 ICC FIGURE 5 is a side elevation similar to FIGURE 4 but having one end plate removed showing more clearly the dispensing member;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FlGURE 8 is a view taken along the line 8-3 of FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the invention applied to dispensing coat hangers.

Referring to the drawings, Va coin freed dispenser, for articles provided with a suspension loop such as, for eX- ample, shopping or carrier bags, coat hangers or the like, is indicated generally at l and includes an elongated body 2, one end of which terminates in an angular Wing 3 for detachably securing the dispenser to a Wall or similar structure 4.

The body 2 is provided with an elongated storage channel S adapted to contain the suspension handles H normally attached to a supply of said articles e. The body 2 is also provided with a housing 7 for a detachable coin receiving magazine 3 (see FIGURES 2 and 4).

The dispenser also includes a member 9 rotatably mounted between a pair of spaced plates it), l1 each secured to one end of the body, said body, member and plates co-operating to form a throat 12. The member 9 is normally biased to rotate in a eounterclockwise or rst direction (as viewed in FIGURES 4 and 5) by means of a coil spring 13 associated therewith. The rotatable member 9 is provided with a coin receiving slot I4 in its periphery and a peripheral lobe l5 having a loop receiving recess 16 therein and, as will be noted from FIGURES 4 and 5, the lobe l5 is circumferentially spaced from the the slot 14 and the circumferential length of the lobe is at least as great as the distance between the channel S and a position, generally indicated at D, where the loop and its associated article can be removed from the dispenser. The plate 11 is detachably secured to the body 2 by means of screws i7, see FIGURE 4, and has a projecting portion 13 serving as a cover for regulator indicated generally at I9 (FIGURE 5).

The regulator 19 comprises a member detachably secured to one side face of the body 2 by means of screws 2i) and includes a lirst limb 2l normally projecting in the path of counter-clockwise travel of the lobe llS and adapted to be contacted by the latter as shown in FIG- URE 8.

Furthermore, the regulator i9 also includes a second limb 22 having its free terminal end 23 normally in resilient face-to-face contact with one side face of the rotary member 9 adjacent the coin receiving slot i4 as is shown more clearly in FIGURE 5.

Moreover, the regulator 19 also includes a third limb 24, located between the rst and second limbs 2l, 22 having its free terminal end 25 normally in resilient faceto-face contact with said side face of the rotary member as is shown in FIGURE 5.

A lock 26 is provided on the plate l@ detachably to secure the latter to the body 2 and, as will be seen from FIGURE 2, said lock 2e is provided with a rotatable barrel 27 to which a lug 2S is secured. `The lug 28 is adapted to engage a slot 29 formed in the wall of the coin receiving magazine 8 whereby rotation of the barrel 27, together with said lug 28, by means of a key (not shown) disengages said lug with the slot 29. The plate lill can thus be detached from the body 2 so as to provide access to the coin receiving magazine it and so that the latter can be withdrawn from its housing 7 for removal of the deposited coins.

Adjacent the top of the dispenser, selected portions of the plates l0 and l1 are formed to provide a coin deof a larger size than that specified for use in the dispenser.

However, if a coin of smaller diameter, such as a cent ora dime, is dropped into the channel 30, it will not be retained in the slot 14 Idue to the size and shape of the latter because, as will beseen from FGURES 3,V 4,

. said slot is provided with shoulders 31 and a chamfered bottom 32. Therefore, the smallerv sizecoin will fall, by gravity, through the slot- 14 and into a coin reject channel 33, formed in the plate it?, and out of the dispenser (see FIGURE 3).

.The operation of the dispenser is such that a nickel is dropped into the coin depository channel 30 and from thence into the coin slot 14 where the shoulders 3l retain it in position within said slot. 1 l

The customer then grasps the article such as, for example, a shopping bag, depending from the dispenser, and slides the handle H thereof along the storage channel 5 t until it enters the loop receiving recess 16 formed in the lobe 15 of therotary member 9.\ The customer then pulls on the shopping or carrier bag which enables the handle H to rotate said rotary member in a clockwise direction recess are in registry with the position D (see FIG- URE 4), the bag can then be withdrawn from the dispenser. i

Moreover, the edge of the plate 9 adjacent the outer end of the throat 12 is provided with an inwardly projecting lip 33 (FIGURE 5) adapted to be contacted by the leading terminal end edge 35 of the lobe 1S and thereby prevent the latter from further clockwise rotation past the indicated position D. v l

Upon initial clockwise movement of the rotary member, the Vfree terminalend 23 of the second limb 22 will be removed from its original face-to-face contact with the said one side face ofthe rotary member (sce FTGURE 6)l and, due to the resiliency of the regulator 1 9, will move into face-toface contact with the nickel or coin C located in the slot 14. Continued rotation of the rotary member 9 will bring the free terminal end 23 or the second limb 22 again in face-to-face ycontact withl the said oneside tace of the said rotary member 9 located beyond said slot 14. Continued rotation of the member 9 in a clockwise direction will cause the free terminal end of the third limb 24 to contact theside face of the nickel C and to urge it into the magazine 8 so that it will be stored angularly with respect to the plane of rotation of the member 9 as shown in FIG. 7. i

Once the bag has been removed from the dispenser, the coil spring 13 will rotate the rotary member 9 in a counter clockwise direction until the end of the lobe 15, remote from the loop receiving recess llo, abutsthe first limb 21 located in its path of travel as shown in- FIGURE 8.

' Should an attempt be made to-operate the dispenser illicitly, and without the depositing of the necessary coin, the initial movement of the rotary member in a clockwise direction will cause the free terminal end `23; of the second limb 22 to spring into the coin receiving slot 14 thereby to prevent further rotation in a clockwise direction of said rotary member 9.

When the supply of shopping bags in the-channel 5 has been exhausted, a key not shown, or other suitable tool can be inserted into a slot 34 formed in the plate lil so as to move the rst limb 21 out of the path of counter-clockwise travel of the rotary member 9. Hence, when the end 35 of the lobe 15 of the rotary member has moved, in a counter-clockwise direction, beyond the entrance of the channel 5, a new supply of bags can be introduced sequentially into the latter and the dispenser replaced, Y

We claim:

1. A coin freed dispenser for articles provided with a suspension loop, comprising a body having a loop storf age channel therein and a coin receiving magazine; a member rotatably mounted with respect to said body, said member having a coin receiving slot and a loop re-V ceiving recess; a spring normally biasing said member to rotate in a first direction; a regulator mounted on .said f body for controlling said rotatable member, said regulator comprising iirst means to limit rotation of said member in said lirst direction; second means engageable with said slot to prevent illicit rotation of said member in a second direction, said second means being rendered inoperative by the introduction of a coin into said slot thereby to free said member for rotation in the second direction; and third means adapted, upon rotation of said member in the second direction, to reject said coin from the slot into the magazine; said loop being engageable with said recess for manual rotationV of said member in the second direction to a delivery position whereby said loop and its associated article can be removed from said dispenser. t

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 including a reject channel communicating with said slot; wherein said slot includes a pair of spaced shoulders adapted to retain therein a coin of predetermined diameter; and a chamfered bottom edge on said slot whereby coins of a smaller diameter will drop therefrom into said reject channel.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 including a pair of spaced plates mounted adjacent vone end of said body, said Vrotatable member and said regulator being disposed therebetween to provide a guideway for the passage of said coin to the magazine; said body, member and platesV cooperating to form a throat extending from said storage channel to said delivery position; Said member having a peripheral lobe, circumierentially spaced from said slot, in which said recess is located; the circumferential length of said lobe being at least as great as the distance between said channel and position.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3 wherein said regulator includes first, second and third spring-biased means acting on said rotatable member; said first means comprising a limb adapted to be contacted by said lobe upon movement of said member in a irst direction; said secondV means comprising a limb cooperating with said member and adapted, on partial rptation of the latter in a second direction and without the presence of a coin, to enter said slot thereby to prevent further rotation of said member in said second direction; said third means com-V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,501,556 7/24 Ewing, 3,119,484 1/64 Davis 194--63 SAMUEL FA COLEMAN, Acting Primary lbbcamz'ner.v 

1. A COIN FREED DISPENSER FOR ARTICLES PROVIDED WITH A SUSPENSION LOOP, COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A LOOP STORAGE CHANNEL THEREIN AND A COIN RECEIVING MAGAZINE; A MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY, SAID MEMBER HAVING A COIN RECEIVING SLOT AND A LOOP RECEIVING RECESS; A SPRING NORMALLY BIASING SAID MEMBER TO ROTATE IN A FIRST DIRECTION; A REGULATOR MOUNTED ON SAID BODY FOR CONTROLLING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, SAID REGULATOR COMPRISING FIRST MEANS TO LIMIT ROTATION OF SAID MEMBER IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION; SECOND MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SLOT TO PREVENT ILLICIT ROTATION OF SAID MEMBER IN A SECOND DIRECTION, SAID SECOND MEANS BEING RENDERED INOPERATIVE BY THE INTRODUCTION OF A COIN INTO SAID SLOT THEREBY TO FREE SAID MEMBER FOR ROTATION IN THE SECOND DIRECTION; AND THIRD MEANS ADAPTED, UPON ROTATION OF SAID MEMBER IN THE SECOND DIRECTION, TO REJECT SAID COIN FROM THE SLOT INTO THE MAGAZINE; SAID LOOP BEING ENGAGEABLE 